COM00207 ASSIGNMENT 2: REFERENCED MINI ESSAY.
ESSAY QUESTION: Which communication theories that you have researched and applied, provide most insight into understanding the dynamics of the observed event?
In all communication events, unless there is a relationship between actions and words, the message can be wrongly interpreted. I observed a conversation between a bartender and a customer in busy and crowded bar. The customer wanted the buy one more double bourbon but the bartender refused to sell to him. This resulted in a series of communication theories, which will be analysed later.
In order to analyse the communication theories that provide most insight into understanding the dynamics of the observed event, it is necessary to
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As opposed to the verbal message, the bartender was able to decipher the nonverbal messages being sent by the customer - the disturbed balance in his movement, his glassy eyes, smell of alcohol, sweat on his face, and the muddled speech. all these indicated to the bartender that this customer is drunk.
When his request was denied, the customer became defensive saying he was not drunk. He refused the alternative non-alcoholic drinks offered by the bartender and became instantly aggressive, yelling and abusing the bartender. One could read the evidence of paralanguage in the customer’s voice. ‘Paralanguage is the vocal (but nonverbal) dimension of speech. (reading 2.2) one could read from the high pitch of his voice, and the angry tone of his voice which was becoming loud that the customer is beginning to get angry and aggressive. One could also see the angry look on his face; this is called affect display which is any emotional response in a communication.
There are also different body movements by both the bartender and the customer that all gave more meaning to the conversation. For example, when the customer could not be controlled, the bartender called the security staff by raising his hand palm up and establishing eye contact with him. The security understood immediately that his service was needed at the bar. This nonverbal body movement is called emblems. According to ( textbook p.69) ‘emblems are those gestures that have
West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2010). Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application (4th ed.) Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader.aspx?assetMetaId=299dcc53-f1c8-4924-a9b0-b8ff6d645a5f&assetDataId=0cdf2509-a90a-4f76-a84b-7cb7098cc897&assetpdfdataid=076561d1-57c7-472c-9712-6f5644b9ebd7
According to Schwartz (2001), communication can be said to be the process that involves the sending and receipt of messages of information among individuals. The communication process consists of two things. It involves the sending and receipt of a message. The message sent and received can be classified into two broad categories. These categories include non-verbal and verbal messages.
Communication involves the exchange of messages and is a process which all individuals participate in. Whether it is through spoken word, written word, non-verbal means or even silence, messages are constantly being exchanged between individuals or groups of people (Bach & Grant 2009). All behaviour has a message and communication is a process which individuals cannot avoid being involved with (Ellis et al 1995).
Therefore, I consider the communication interactions to be the component that may decide the course of events when an exchange of ideas takes place.
Michael Argyle (1972) looks at the cycle of communication which involves six stages this is about sending receiving and the decoding of messages between individual and also groups.
Furthermore how would we be able to transfer all of our knowledge to the next person, better yet, how would we improve our capacity of knowledge as a whole. We
When it comes to talking about theories of communication, it is easy to overlook the impact they have on our day-to-day lives. Often times when people think of theories they think of long boring explanations that have little meaning or pertinence to their lives. This, however, is not always the case. It may surprise some to find out that the interactions they have whether at work, with their loved ones, or even with a stranger all relate back to theories that explain why they do the things they do. This not only includes the face-to-face interaction we have in real life, but also through the relationships we see portrayed in television shows and movies. An example of this is how the uncertainty reduction theory plays into the relationship development between Belle and the Beast in the newest movie version of Beauty and the Beast.
An example can be when you are speaking to a friend of yours and he verbally refers to how exhausted he is. He may also later in the conversation begin to yawn. These two cues would tell you that they are extremely exhausted and the conversation would end. If a person did not properly interpret these messages they may find themselves having a difficult time communicating, due to the internal noise of your friend, and would not be a proper conversation. I believe that communication can be distorted or disrupted in many ways within a business setting. The one element I feel would really cause trouble would be channels. Channels are the methods of communication that are available to be used to relay information to another person or persons. These can be email, text, in person speaking, video chat, and even memos. When sending an email in a business setting we may not be as skilled in explaining certain subjects or can be misunderstood. I have personally experienced situations where I said something that could be taken as a negative response or a positive but was taken in a positive way. I believe that it would have been due to my non-verbal communication taking place. If I were to have sent an email it may not have been the same story. Choosing what channel to communicate in a business setting can be crucial on how others may perceive the
It is difficult enough to interpret words accurately, in fact, there are no doubt more misinterpreted messages than not (Cherney and Tynan, 1990). When the element of nonverbal is incorporated, the rate of misinterpretations increases dramatically (Elgin, 1980).
The communication theory was proposed by S.F Scudder in the year 1980. It states that all living beings existing on the planet communicate although the way of communication is different. The universal law of the communication theory says that all living things, whether they’re plants, animals or human beings, communicate through sound, speech, visible changes, body movements, gestures or in the best way possible to make others aware of their thoughts, feelings, problems, happiness or any other information. (Merton, R.K. 2001)
When studying communication, there are certain assumptions to be made. These assumptions vary depending on the paradigm that the researcher is following. In the Interpretive Approach, the major assumption is that humans construct their own reality, and researchers must tap into and understand that reality. This could not be truer, as everyone has their own perception of the world around them and reality in general. It is also assumed that the focus will be on the communicator. The Interpretive Approach draws focus on the creativity of humans rather than our predictability. Following the
The interpretation of those perceptions are basic to the process of communication, because the way a message is interpreted varies according to the
My third sociological concept is known as a gesture which relates to the Comic Monstore because it was a way for me to build a mutual trust with the customers while helping them. I would say to them, “hello, how are you doing? If you need any help, let me know”, while shaking their hand to let them know I do care as a volunteer. That was my way of communication with the customers. A gesture is a way in which people communicate with each other using body motion (Henslin, 2017). Gesture relates to my organization because the employees want the customers to feel as welcome as possible. Noticing the customer, addressing them with an enthusiastic greeting, and a handshake helps the customer feel welcomed and free to ask questions. Gestures relate to my volunteering because, when I addressed the customers with an enthusiastic greeting, offered my help, and gave a handshake, it gave the customers the idea of feeling comfortable to ask me questions, and a few of the customers told me that I am well mannered for giving such a profound greeting when they entered the establishment. Gestures relate to my experience because, it assisted me in interacting with the customers properly so I would not feel like I am bothering them, but they would know my name, know that they may ask me questions, and I would feel comfortable knowing how to approach the customers.
I also see this as an occasion to integrate new techniques to expand my personal skill set.
It is important to recognize that body language may vary between individuals, and between different cultures and nationalities. It is therefore essential to verify and confirm the signals that you are reading, by questioning the individual and getting to know the person. Recognising and responding to body